Wifi extender - any recommendation?

[Brutha]

Hi All, 

I'm looking for a simple solution that would let me extend my wifi up into the garden - this would be so I can connect a Raspberry Pi with Astroberry to my home network, rather than needing to run the Pi in hotspot mode.

Ideally, I was thinking of something simple - one of the wifi extender things that plug into a mains socket would be perfect I think. However, it would need to go through a wall and then up to maybe 50 feet max to the actual device.

Has anyone got any recommendations? Or am I being somewhat optimistic?

Thanks!

Brutha

[callump]

I have tried a wireless extender in the home, but it did not extend far into my back garden (a TP-Link). It was also a bit unsatisfactory when connecting to different devices, so in the end I abandoned it for a mesh solution (BT).

I have a very long back garden, so I actually set up an external  wireless access point (Ubiquiti Picostation) half way down the garden which is hard-wried to my router. It is powered by power over ethernet (PoE), so all self-contained. This access point gives me a range of about 50m but this model is only 2.4GHz band. There are probably newer dual band versions about.

/callump

[steppenwolf]

One of the problems with these WiFi extenders is that they work best on a ring main whereas most power lines to observatories/observing locations are 'extensions'. I have a wired network to my observatory BUT, I also have a big problem with the WiFi network in my home. In the last week, I 'upgraded' to BT Halo 2 Complete WiFi which includes a new 'smart-hub' and a single 'disc' (essentially a repeater). My new service will allow me up to three discs to obtain full coverage in my home and in the end, I DID need all three discs to obtain full coverage throughout my home. This has resulted in a far better system than the one I originally built up using BT 500 and 600 extenders. It *could* be that this disc system could give you an extended WiFi range to your observing position.

As an aside, my BT 600 extender system worked better than my BT 500 system BUT I did have the two units installed on a ring main as stipulated in the requirement specs.

[davalis]

I have a 50 ft ethernet cable that will connect my HEQ5 mount to synscan module.  It works well. 

[Wintersun]

What you need is termed an Access Point and it will need 110 VAC power but acts as a repeater to extend the reach of the WiFi signal from your router. A problem I have seen with computers is that the smaller they are the smaller their antennas and the less effective they are in terms of Wifi transmission. What can help is a USB Wifi adapter plugged into the computer's USB  port and then you can adjust its external antenna for best reception. Whatever devices you get be sure that they have good external antennas.

[M40]

On 26/02/2021 at 17:45, davalis said:

I have a 50 ft ethernet cable that will connect my HEQ5 mount to synscan module.  It works well. 

That I never thought of, I will be trying that. Welcome to the site 👍

[vocalis]

Consider one of the Netgear Orbi Mesh systems like the RBK50  or even their newer (but more expensive) WiFi 6 systems.

The RBK50 covers up to 5000 sq ft and I find it excellent to cover the whole of my garden, which is big.

You could place the satellite unit indoors closer to the area where you're going to place the telescope. It should cover 50 feet easily.